Key Takeaways

  • 75% of U.S. employers use automated applicant tracking systems to screen resumes before a human reviews them (Harvard Business School & Accenture, 2021)
  • The most common ATS failures are missing keywords, incompatible formatting, and incorrect file types
  • ResumeGeni scores your resume across 8 parsing layers — modeled on the same steps enterprise ATS platforms like Workday, Greenhouse, and Taleo use to evaluate candidates

How ATS Resume Scoring Works

Applicant tracking systems parse your resume into structured data — extracting your name, contact info, work history, skills, and education — then score how well that data matches the job requirements. Many ATS rejections happen because the parser couldn't extract critical fields, not because the candidate wasn't qualified.

LayerWhat It ChecksWhy It Matters
Document extractionFile format, encoding, readabilityCorrupted or image-only PDFs fail immediately
Layout analysisTables, columns, headers, footersMulti-column layouts break field extraction
Section detectionExperience, education, skills headingsNon-standard headings cause sections to be missed
Field mappingName, email, phone, dates, titlesMissing contact info is a common cause of immediate rejection
Keyword matchingJob-specific terms, skills, certificationsKeyword overlap affects recruiter search visibility and ATS scoring
Chronology checkDate ordering, gap detectionReverse-chronological order is expected by most ATS
QuantificationMetrics, numbers, measurable outcomesQuantified achievements help human reviewers and some scoring models
Confidence scoringOverall parse quality and completenessLow-confidence parses get deprioritized in results

Frequently Asked Questions

Is ResumeGeni free?
Yes. ResumeGeni is currently in beta — ATS analysis, scoring, and initial improvement suggestions are free with no signup required. Full guidance and saved reports may require a free account.
What file formats are supported?
PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT, RTF, ODT, and Apple Pages. PDF and DOCX are recommended for best ATS compatibility.
How is the ATS score calculated?
Your resume is processed through an 8-layer parsing pipeline that extracts structured data the same way enterprise ATS platforms do. The score reflects how completely and accurately your resume can be parsed, plus how well your content matches common ATS ranking criteria.
Can ATS read PDF resumes?
Yes, but not all PDFs are equal. Text-based PDFs parse well. Image-only PDFs (scanned documents) and PDFs with complex tables or multi-column layouts often fail ATS parsing. Our analyzer will flag these issues.
How do I improve my ATS score?
Focus on three areas: use a clean single-column format, include keywords from the job description naturally in your experience bullets, and ensure all sections (contact, experience, education, skills) use standard headings.

ATS Guides & Resources

Built by engineers with 12 years of experience building enterprise hiring technology at ZipRecruiter. Last updated .

Associate, Damages & Valuations

Secretariatadvisorsllc · Chicago, Illinois, United States

Chart Your Journey at Secretariat

From a collaborative culture to teammates who will always be by your side, find a career that will grow with you. Deliver your impact at Secretariat.

 

 

ABOUT THE FIRM

Secretariat professionals are trusted in the highest-stakes legal, risk, and regulatory matters around the world.

When you join Secretariat, you become part of a rapidly growing elite team of bright minds and passionate problem-solvers. Your skills and expertise will be utilized on day one – working with the world’s most renowned law firms, leading corporations, and influential institutions to answer complex questions that shape critical financial, economic, and strategic business decisions.

Our globally integrated teams are united by the ambition, energy, and commitment they bring to every challenge. We inspire and empower an open, collaborative culture that embraces ongoing professional development, recognition, diversity, and – most importantly – you.

Make your impact at Secretariat.

 

ABOUT Our Damages & Valuations team 

As part of our expanding Damages & Valuations team, you will join a select group of the world's foremost experts and advisors. The facts prove it. We are ranked #1 in Global Arbitration Review's prestigious Expert Witness Firm Power Index in 2024, and over 90% of our testifying experts are recognized as leading experts by Who's Who Legal.

We are a collaborative team of experienced accountants, economists, PhDs, certified business valuators, investment analysts, and industry specialists – all working together to address the most complex litigation and strategic commercial questions no matter the industry or global location.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Assist with the preparation of expert reports (damages and valuation reports
  • Analyze financial and non-financial information, and summarize and report findings to team members and to clients
  • Assist in the development of valuation parameters (i.e. discount rate, forecasts, etc.) and prepare financial models
  • Assist with the preparation of rebuttal expert reports evaluating the conclusions of other experts
  • Client communications 

 

QUALIFICATIONS

  • 1 year of audit or other relevant experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, or other relevant major required
  • Able to develop creative approaches and solutions necessary to resolve complex problems
  • Able to quickly assimilate relevant information in unfamiliar situations
  • Able to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure
  • Excellent listening, verbal, written, and presentation skills (ability to speak, write and conduct business in English is required)
  • Excellent Excel skills
  • Language skills are advantageous given the international focus of our practice
  • Willing to travel internationally
  • Ability to work in the United States without need for sponsorship now or in the future
  • Requisite professional designations and work experience:
    • Eligibility for CPA, ABV, CBV, CFA, or other relevant certifications preferred
    • ‘Big Four’ audit intern experience and/or valuation experience preferred

 

 

 

A rewarding career above all

There are a lot of fine consulting firms out there. But when everything is on the line, it takes a unique combination of skill and savvy to succeed under pressure.

Our culture and people are driven by passion, pride, and performance. Passion for the clients we serve, the work we deliver, and the communities we live in. Pride in our cohesive team recognized for excellence and trusted to perform in the most challenging situations. And our track record of outstanding performance across all of our disciplines speaks for itself.

Our people are motivated to be the best in everything they do – from our approach to making the complex simple to the way we mentor our up-and-coming talent to become trusted experts early in their careers.

To learn how Secretariat collects, uses, and protects your personal information during the recruitment process, please review our Privacy Policy

 

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